What Happened To The Town's Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Office?

In June 2020 - one month after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis - the Nantucket Select Board formally pledged to the island community that it would create a new diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) office within the town administration, and committed to a series of initiatives "to make Nantucket a more just and equitable community for all its constituents."

In February 2021, the town hired Kimal McCarthy as its first director of DEI, establishing the town's office and elevating the position to a cabinet-level post within the town administration. McCarthy helped craft the town's DEI strategic plan, which included a commitment statement of "Open shores; open doors. The Town & County of Nantucket works to promote, foster, and sustain equal access in an equitable and inclusive work environment where diversity is celebrated and valued in the workplace and the community."

But after three years on the job, McCarthy resigned in late February 2024. At the time, town manager Libby Gibson said the DEI director was "an important role within Town government, and we will work closely with Human Resources to begin a candidate search."

A few months later, however, the town updated the page for the DEI office on its website, stating "With the departure of the Town’s DEI Director, the Town is currently reviewing its DEI strategic plan and determining next steps to fill this role in Fiscal Year 2025."

Nearly a year after McCarthy's resignation, Nantucket's DEI director position remains unfilled, and the job is not listed among the town's numerous open job opportunities.

In response to an inquiry from the Current about the status of the position and the DEI office, Gibson shared the following statement and indicated that it is not a given that the position will ever be reinstated:

"We are planning to issue a Request for Proposals for professional assistance to help us determine how best to structure the DEI function into the Town: whether it is a position, modification of procedures/practices/communications, or engagement of professional resources," Gibson stated. "The issuance of an RFP was derailed last summer by a variety of issues including the Vineyard Wind turbine failure, other offshore wind projects, the Right Whale vessel speed reduction rule, and the fall Special Town Meeting. We are hoping to issue the RFP by spring."

McCarthy declined to comment when reached by the Current this week.

In addition to the factors described by Gibson, the town will be reconsidering its "DEI function" in a landscape vastly different from the time it was established in 2021, when towns, cities, non-profits, schools,  and private companies across the country were eager to implement such policies and procedures.

Four years later, many companies and educational institutions are rolling back DEI initiatives and policies, with some citing the U.S. Supreme Court's June 2023 decision to strike down affirmative action in college admissions as well as challenges by conservative activists.

Major U.S. employers including McDonald's, Walmart, John Deere, as well as Ford and Lowe's, have all announced over the past year that they would be curtailing their DEI initiatives.

Meanwhile, The Chronicle of Higher Education has tracked similar changes to DEI policies at more than 200 colleges and universities in the U.S. The publication describes it as a "dismantling of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts" in higher education as "colleges make changes in response to anti-DEI legislation and mounting political pressure..."

While Nantucket's DEI efforts may take on a new form in the future, Select Board chair Brooke Mohr said she believed the town's commitment to "inclusion and belonging" principles remained.

"DEI has sort of gotten a bad name, politically and otherwise, but the goal is the same," Mohr said. "We have a diverse community. For me, the goal is to make sure voices are heard, that our workforce reflects the diversity of the community and that the experience of those with different backgrounds - as employees, constituents, and community members - that people feel welcome and that they belong and have an avenue for participation."

Mohr said the board has not had any recent conversations about the vacant position, and her comments reflect her own opinions.

"DEI, it's evolved as a field, and we want to have the lens of that new, evolved understanding of the field as we look at what we've done and to make sure we're on the right track," Mohr added. "The goal is that our community should feel like a home to everyone who wants to be a part of our community and make this their home."